Counting the Hours
by lefcadio
Summary: Misa x L, Misa x Light. Misa discovers that sometimes, comfort is found in the most unexpected of places.


She couldn't really remember when it had started.

At first, she'd tried to ignore it - Misa would lie in bed, curled up on her side, and squeeze her eyes tightly shut as though that was all it would take. But the night would drag onwards, cool and slow, the faint coloured light from the city outside creeping in through the cracks in the curtains.

Misa hated opening her eyes to sneak a glance at the small clock on the bedside table, but she couldn't help it; time slipped by so slowly.

She'd sigh and shift again, her delicate silk nightdress twisted and distorted as she tossed and turned restlessly under the loose covers. Her hair would spill down onto her bare shoulders, a mess of pale strands and tiny tangles.

Misa didn't want to give into the insomnia; after all, it would be like admitting she was worried about something! And Misa didn't like to worry. Although it was many years ago now, she still remembered what her mother had once said to her: "Misa-chan, don't fret like that; you need your sleep! Or you'll end up with bags under your eyes and wrinkles like an old witch!" And then she'd giggled, and hugged Misa tightly,

Laughter or not, it had made a lasting impression on her younger self, and she didn't really want to find out if it were true. It was unthinkable, anyway - Misa-Misa, with eyes like Ryuuzaki? She'd suppress a shudder and burrow further under the covers, poking her toes out of the side when it finally got too warm.

It didn't really mean anything that she thought of Light as she lay awake, hour after solitary hour. Didn't mean anything that all she could remember were the times he had smiled at Ryuuzaki, or had leaned in close to discuss some theory or other. She wasn't jealous, no.

Because jealousy was an ugly emotion, and if there was one thing that Misa-Misa was not, it was ugly.

But Ryuuzaki was always _there_ now; stealing her Light's attention, staring at them both in that curious way he had, taking her cake...

But Misa knew that it was what Light wanted, and so she told herself that she wanted it, too.

Yes, it really was all quite troublesome.

Eventually - perhaps inevitably - Misa could stand it no longer. There had been too many nights of this - thinking of _them_; pointless, envious thoughts chasing themselves around in her head. She sat up, breathing quickening, and bit her lower lip. She wanted to see them.

---------------------------------------

When she quietly pushed open the door and peered inside, she hadn't really expected either of them to be awake; Misa only wanted to be near her Light, and had intended to curl up beside him quietly - Light needed his sleep, after all.

Instead, as her gaze fell upon the two beds pushed close together, she saw that Ryuuzaki was very much awake - he was sat up in bed, hunched over his laptop, the glow from the screen highlighting his features eerily, and emphasising those dark circles under his eyes.

He seemed to pause in what he was doing for a moment, and then looked up at her.

"Misa-san?"

His enquiry was low-voiced and almost devoid of expression, though she could see his gaze flicker over her curiously. Pervert.

She clutched the edge of the door a little nervously, suddenly all too aware that Ryuuzaki - like Light, who was sleeping soundly close by - was distinctly shirtless. She forced herself to meet his gaze.

"I, um..."

He was strange looking anyway. All scrawny and wiry - not like Light at all. Light, who was...

It perturbed her slightly that he was sprawled out so carelessly - one bare arm actually bridged the small gap between the two beds, and was not far off brushing Ryuuzaki's side. Maybe he was just a restless sleeper, though - and then it was an uncomfortable jolt to realise that _he_ would know more about Light's sleeping habits than her.

"...did you want to come in?"

She knew it wasn't really meant as an invitation, but took the opportunity to step into the dark room anyway, shutting the door softly behind her.

"Don't you ever wake him?" She approached and perched on the end of Light's bed carefully, trying to avoid nudging him.

Ryuuzaki shrugged, and she watched him tap swiftly at the keys of the laptop for a moment before responding, "he's used to it by now."

She frowned, inexplicably irritated. Wait, no; Misa-Misa would _not_ be jealous of someone like Ryuuzaki!

"Do you always stay up this late?" Misa was suddenly struck with the childish desire to distract him; if she had to suffer through this insomnia, then he could suffer with her!

"It's only three am, Misa-san."

"Yes, but--!"

In the faint glow of the laptop screen, she thought she saw a small smile twist the corner of his mouth. But then it was gone, as he shut the computer and plunged the room into darkness.

"You came here to sleep beside Light-kun tonight, I presume?"

Misa swallowed the protest she'd been about to voice about the change in lighting, and instead paused, gaze tracing the faint outline of Ryuuzaki in the shadows.

"...yes. I... haven't really been able to sleep, recently."

Somehow, here in the darkness with Ryuuzaki, it felt less incriminating to admit that. At least she wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep - although, if it led to eyes like his, she wasn't really sure it was much comfort after all.

Misa felt a faint rush of relief when he didn't ask why - didn't pry, didn't try and expose her insecurities, just... accepted it as given.

But then, maybe it was because he just didn't care. Light had always failed to respond to her when he was wrapped up in thinking about the Kira case, too.

"Light-kun has been quite preoccupied, recently." It was a casual sounding remark, but Misa was not so naïve as to think that there was not some kind of careful reasoning behind it. What was he getting at? Did he know?

"...yes," she said softly, and paused, not sure what else to add. Misa heard the faint rustling of covers, and saw the dark outline of Ryuuzaki shift slightly in front of her.

"The Kira case is a lot of work."

Misa furiously blinked back tears of frustration; his comments only served to aggravate her unspoken worries further. And yet... she shook her head slightly, a small smile tugging at her lips; she couldn't help but get the feeling that, actually, he was awkwardly trying to make her feel better.

"I know. I understand that, but..." she trailed off helplessly and gazed out into the nothingness of the shadows. Even without being able to see it, she could already picture the way he was tilting his head, and staring at her in that particular way he had. He was probably biting his thumb, too.

Maybe he wasn't... so bad? And with he and Light working together now, the Kira case was sure to be over soon.

And then, it was with an almost anticlimactic jolt that she realised... the jealousy was gone. Sitting here, talking with Ryuuzaki, had inexplicably made her feel a little better. She fiddled with the lace hem of her nightdress, suddenly not really sure what to say.

"Light-kun cares for you very much, you know."

How could one simple statement mean so much? Secretly, Misa knew: because when Ryuuzaki said something, it gave it weight; made it true. But there was something else in his tone then, too; it was almost... wistful.

She felt a sharp twist in her heart at that, and impulsively stood up, reaching out in the darkness until she found Ryuuzaki, and sat down by his side, arms draped awkwardly around him. She felt him stiffen in surprise, but clung on determinedly - he obviously needed some comfort, too! And Misa was not so selfish that she was going to ignore that.

Besides, he might be very strange... but as she sat there, with his bony flesh and hot skin beneath her fingertips, she thought that maybe, Ryuuzaki must have a reason for always staying awake, too.

But he hadn't asked, so neither would she.

He relaxed a little, and she rested her cheek softly against his shoulder for a moment as she gazed over at Light; sound asleep and breathing quietly only a foot away. She missed him, but he cared for her a lot; Ryuuzaki had said so.

She released Ryuuzaki then, and leaned up a little, placing an affectionate kiss on his cheek; he'd been watching Light, too.

"...good night, Ryuuzaki," she leaped lightly to her feet and began making her way towards the door again; she hesitated and looked back, the memory of his warmth still present, "and thank you."

And then she was gone, slipping quietly out and back to her own room. When she arrived, the small blinking clock read four am.

But that night, Misa smiled as she shut her eyes, and thought of Light; thought of Ryuuzaki. Because sometimes, comfort is found in the most unexpected of places - and she drifted off into a calm, dreamless sleep.


End file.
